Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

4.5K
The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
4.5K
Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

5.1K
The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This...
5.1K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

4.2K
The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
4.2K
Catenins01:23

Catenins

3.2K
Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the...
3.2K
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

7.5K
Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
7.5K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

3.9K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
3.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Actomyosin cortex integration with complex plasma membrane topography in the early Drosophila embryo.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

Context-dependent inhibitory roles of RhoA in 3D invasive cell migration within the extracellular matrix.

Cell reports·2025
Same author

Arc spreads Crumbs: Spatial restriction of tissue invagination to form a thin epithelial tube.

The Journal of cell biology·2025
Same author

Dynamic Plasma Membrane Topography Linked With Arp2/3 Actin Network Induction During Cell Shape Change.

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology·2025
Same author

Erratum: mCAUSE: Prioritizing mitochondrial targets that alleviate pancreatic cancer cell phenotypes.

iScience·2025
Same author

Drosophila anterior midgut internalization via collective epithelial-mesenchymal transition at the embryo surface and enclosure by surrounding tissues.

Developmental biology·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
08:15

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules

Published on: October 17, 2014

11.0K

Cadherin Trafficking for Tissue Morphogenesis: Control and Consequences.

Junior J West1, Tony J C Harris1

  • 1Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark)
|April 24, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Regulated cadherin trafficking dynamically controls cell connections, influencing tissue development across diverse species. This review details how molecular machinery and cellular systems coordinate cadherin dynamics for morphogenesis.

Keywords:
adherens junctionanimal developmentcadherincell polaritycytoskeletonendocytosisexocytosismorphogenesisrecyclingsignaling

More Related Videos

Differentiation of Mouse Breast Epithelial HC11 and EpH4 Cells
09:32

Differentiation of Mouse Breast Epithelial HC11 and EpH4 Cells

Published on: February 27, 2020

9.7K
Fixation of Embryonic Mouse Tissue for Cytoneme Analysis
08:46

Fixation of Embryonic Mouse Tissue for Cytoneme Analysis

Published on: June 16, 2022

3.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
08:15

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules

Published on: October 17, 2014

11.0K
Differentiation of Mouse Breast Epithelial HC11 and EpH4 Cells
09:32

Differentiation of Mouse Breast Epithelial HC11 and EpH4 Cells

Published on: February 27, 2020

9.7K
Fixation of Embryonic Mouse Tissue for Cytoneme Analysis
08:46

Fixation of Embryonic Mouse Tissue for Cytoneme Analysis

Published on: June 16, 2022

3.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cadherin-based adherens junctions are essential for cell-cell adhesion in tissues.
  • Cadherin complexes are highly dynamic due to regulated trafficking, impacting multicellular development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of cadherin trafficking in tissue morphogenesis across various animal models.
  • To describe the integration of core trafficking machinery with other molecular systems controlling cadherin dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on cadherin trafficking and tissue morphogenesis.
  • Analysis of molecular machinery involved in cadherin endocytosis, exocytosis, and recycling.
  • Examination of interactions between trafficking machinery and cellular systems like polarity and cytoskeletal networks.

Main Results:

  • Cadherin trafficking significantly influences tissue morphogenesis in model organisms (Drosophila, C. elegans, zebrafish, Xenopus, mouse).
  • Core trafficking machinery (clathrin, dynamin, Rabs, exocyst) interacts with transcriptional factors, signaling pathways, and cytoskeletal components.
  • Control of cadherin trafficking at specific junctions or all cell-cell contacts leads to distinct morphogenetic outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Cadherin trafficking is a key regulator of tissue morphogenesis throughout animal development.
  • The interplay between trafficking machinery and cellular systems provides precise control over cadherin dynamics.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for comprehending developmental processes and potential therapeutic interventions.